Welcome to the double life of Victoria’s Secret model Lyndsey Scott.

So you think models are all looks and no brains, well that notion can be put to the wayside courtesy of Victoria’s Secret model Lyndsey Scott who by day works as a couture runway model and who by night works as a computer programmer.

But just not any computer programmer. To date, Lyndsey Scott has whilst simultaneously working the planks for Prada and Louis Vuitton developed seven phone apps, two of which have been picked up by Apple.

In a recent feature with PandoDaily the self confessed nerd told she defies many modeling stereotypes and has ‘definitely had a few agencies tell me I need to be cooler.’

Lyndsey Scott’s journey includes having attended attended Amherst, a prestigious liberal arts college in Massachusetts, graduating in 2006 with a double-degree in theater and computer science.

Despite her parents’ pressure to pursue computers, Scott focused her energies on modeling – receiving her big break in 2009 when she became the first-ever African American to get an exclusive runway contract with Calvin Klein (a label that has previously endured criticism for its preference for Caucasian models).

In 2009 Scott also got to walk the Victoria’s Secret PINK segment as well as going on to be cast by Prada and Louis Vuitton.

Told her brother, Matthew Scott told the site: ‘If I had to liken her to someone, I’d say she’s like Gisele Bundchen mixed with Bill Gates. I can’t imagine those two combined, but if they did, it would probably by Lyndsey.’

Rather than cross-promoting her life as a model while working as a programmer, and her programming work while she models, Scott instead prefers to keep quiet about her dual occupations.

‘The industry makes an effort to reduce the model and, in a way, simplify things,’ she said of fashion. ‘They wouldn’t talk about my education, they wouldn’t talk about me…in a way I understand.’

But Ms Scott did integrate her two careers in creating iPort – an app that allows models to upload their ‘book,’ or portfolio onto an iPad.

‘I built that app because it was something I personally needed,’ she told the site of iPort. ‘My book always ends up looking terrible, the books fall apart, the pages are tearing, it’s dirty, and it’s a mess.’

Another app of her creation called Educate!, is charity-based and helps find sponsors for young scholars in Uganda.

But in case you think Lyndsey Scott is resting on her laurels, the nerd model is currently developing another program which will ‘help people develop romantic, friendship, and professional connections.’

In a recent Quora Q&A, Scott answered a user question: ‘What does it feel like to go from physically unattractive to physically attractive?’

Wrote the model: ‘It’s been a rather jarring experience having people see and treat me the way they suddenly do now. I as bullied and often friendless throughout puberty because people automatically judged me…The difference between then and now though is that back then, they wouldn’t give me the chance to show then that I was kind of cool, and now they readily give me a chance…and are then often disappointed that I’m kind of a nerd.’ [sic]

The response, which went viral and received media attention, only briefly mentioned her programming background.

Reflected Lyndsey Scott’s new modeling agent, Tony Vavroch at Elite Model Management : ‘Anything which adds dimension to a model beyond her physical beauty is a good thing. Physical beauty gets a model’s foot in the door but her personality, combined with other gifts and abilities, makes her more interesting to advertisers and fashion and beauty clients.’

Lyndsey Scott has appeared in magazines including Vogue Italia, W, i-D, and Teen Vogue

About

I think the idea to start “Scallywag and Vagabond.” (SCV) originates from my myriad background and the many years I have spent in preferred cafes and brasseries extolling the virtues and subtle intricacies of ‘being’ as the Beaujolais ran, the cigarette wafted and the gentleman to my side pontificated while spraying himself with a deftly tied cravat and sun crested idolatry.’

I grew up in Australia where as a young man one was obliged to become a hero of sorts. A master swimmer, fighter of causes, ideals and disheveled denizen of aesthetics, and more often a carefree ‘larrikin’ who would occasionally poke his sun bronzed nose at authority and convention Read More